Date of meeting: 3 November 2022

The question will be answered without discussion. The person who asked the question may ask one relevant supplementary question, which shall be put and answered without discussion. The person to whom a question, or supplementary question, has been put may decline to answer it.

The following written questions have been received from Members

This Committee:

(1) Councillor Grimshaw – Limit on Number of Days for Public Events

With reference to DM30 "Registered Parks and Gardens", can Councillors agree an annual limit on the number of days (including set up and site clearance) devoted to events held in public open spaces, especially in registered parks (e.g. Preston Park) and locally listed assets (e.g. Hove Lawns)?

(2) Councillor Grimshaw – Outdoor Events Strategy

Does the "Outdoor Events Strategy 2019-2024" take DM30 into account (is there any reference to DM30)?

(3) Councillor Grimshaw – Outdoor Events Policy

Has the "Outdoor Events Policy 2013" been superseded by the "Outdoor Events Strategy 2019-24?

(4) Councillor Bagaeen – Lighting Public Spaces for Community Safety

Lighting is used by many local authorities to effectively improve community safety.

Research has shown that layered lighting - where there are multiple light sources and reflective values of surfaces are taken into consideration - is what makes women feel most safe.

Can the Chair advise whether the council has explored layered lighting approaches used by other local authorities and whether it has a policy to use lighting to improve community safety in public areas?

(5) Councillor Simson – Drink Spiking in the City and Community Safety

There have been continued incidents of drink spiking in Brighton & Hove which are causing a great deal of concern to many.

An investigative report by the Argus has showed that the incidence of drink spiking in Brighton is particularly high. Between 1 January 2021 and 31 October 2021 there were 61 drink spiking crimes committed in Brighton and Hove (out of the total 108 crimes recorded across Sussex). 90% of the victims across Sussex region are female. Just in the last month there has been another report of a major incident in Brighton that has led to five arrests.

Brighton & Hove has also come across very badly on the ‘Night Coppers’ documentary on Channel 4, which follows police on typical night patrols in clubs and pubs in the City.

I have previously proposed that the Council provides drink spinking test kits to licensed venues to help tackle the issue and also raise awareness. This measure could complement some of the other existing initiatives to improve safety for women in the night time economy, such as the Taxi Marshalls, Ask Angela and Beach Buggy programmes.

Can the Council advise whether it currently provides drink spiking test kits to licensed venues and whether it would consider providing these kits to improve safety in the night time economy.